DUSHANBE, February 4, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Articles by Tajik President Emomali Rahmon about Imam Azam, the founder of the Sunni Hanafi school of Islamic jurisprudence entitled “Imam Azam and National Mentality” and “Imam Azam and Dialogue of Civilization” have attracted interest in a number of Muslim countries, according to the MFA information department.

Thus, the article “Imam Azam and National Mentality” was reproduced in Afghanistan’s newspaper Armani Melli on January 19, 2009.

The mentioned article were published in Tajik newspapers and posted on presidential website ( www.prezident.tj ) early in January this year.

We will recall that by president’s decree the year of 2009 is announced Year of Imam Azam in Tajikistan.

Al-Imam al-A''zam, "The Greatest Imam" Nu’man bin Thabit bin Zuta bin Mahan, better known by his kunya as Abu Hanifa, (699-767 CE/80-148 AH) was the founder of the Sunni Hanafi school of Islamic jurisprudence.  Abu Hanifa was born in Kufa, Iraq during the reign of the powerful Umayyad caliph Abdul Malik bin Marwan.  Acclaimed as Al-Imam al-A''zam, or Al-A''dham (the Great Imam), Nu’man bin Thabit bin Zuta bin Mah was better known by his kunya Abu Hanifa.